Spoon Carving Conversations

In this episode, I’m joined by Brett Andrews @bigbear_woodshack a Canadian greenwood carver and turner. Brett discovered wood carving in 2019 and has been hooked ever since.

Alongside spoon carving, Brett also makes kuksas and has even built his own pole lathe, teaching himself how to turn bowls.

We talk about how he got started, what it’s like carving in a place with harsh winter conditions, how the craft fits into family life, and his hopes of sharing and introducing greenwood carving to others in the future.

I enjoyed our conversation, and ...

In this episode, I talk to Jonathan Jakic (@jonathan_jekic), a passionate, creative, and prolific maker from Germany.

Jonathan is an arborist and discovered his passion for carving greenwood through his love of the outdoors, being in nature, and being involved in bushcraft.

He is an amazing carver with a very creative and expressive style. He produces one-of-a-kind pieces, always made to an amazingly high quality, not only spoons, but also bowls, cups, kitchen utensils, and lanyards.

Jonathan is self-taught and has since started teaching others, most recently at the Von Hand Festival.<...

In this episode, I chat with Callan Burton-Shore @mountainferalcraft, an ancestral skills teacher living near Asheville, North Carolina.

Callan was first introduced to carving and other craft skills at school, and they have since become a big part of her life. She lives closely connected to the land and teaches others the art of tanning hides, carving wood, and practicing other ancient skills.

Callan sells her work at markets and online to people who appreciate the time, skill, and knowledge that go into producing high-quality handmade items.

I hope you enjoy our conversation.<...

In this episode, I talk to Alex Finberg @lex.finberg (https://www.instagram.com/alex.finberg/), a passionate, creative, and prolific maker from Devon, UK.

Alex’s work involves introducing various crafts and activities into people’s lives. Through this, people can find community and meaning, which can have a profoundly positive impact. Since carving his first spoon around eight years ago, Alex has been very active in organizing regular meet-ups, teaching carving workshops, selling his work at markets and online, and even recently releasing a book specifically about carving spoons. Find out more on his website: https...

In this episode, I talk with Adam Ashworth @adamashworth97, a tool maker from the UK. Adam first discovered greenwood carving and later connected with established toolmakers Nic Westermann and James Wood. Inspired by their work, he pursued his passion and now runs his own workshop, crafting beautiful, handmade carving tools for people around the world.

We discussed how he got started, the materials and techniques he uses, and the pros and cons of running his own business.
I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do too!

If you enjoy the podcast and...

In this episode, I talk with Nadav Ben Shlomo @nbs_artnwood, an artist originally from Israel who now lives and works in Prague, Czech Republic.

Nadav creates beautiful and playful pieces from locally sourced wood. He shares his passion not only through his work but also via Instagram, YouTube, and Patreon.

We discussed his creative process, workspace, content creation, and the reasons behind his love for this craft. I hope you enjoy listening!

If you enjoy the podcast and want to support it, you can do so by leaving a writing or review...

In this episode, I talk to Felix Lane @felix_the_wood, a young and talented greenwood carver from Cornwall, UK. Felix carved his first spoon at the age of 11 and has been honing his craft ever since. His enthusiasm is unmistakable, and it’s great to see a young man find something that gives him not only joy but also a drive and direction in his life.

Felix has always had the support of his family, particularly his mum, who showed that it’s possible to make a living by creating things and following your passion. He was fo...

 In this episode, I speak with @SamuelAlexandershapes. Samuel talks about how he initially came to carving through seeking help dealing with depression. Something clicked, and it has since become a strong positive influence in his life. He spent many years learning and eventually teaching at the @LondonGreenwood. He is creating beautiful objects with wood, with his vessels at the center stage. We discuss why and how he carves these vessels and what he enjoys and gains from the process. It was a really nice conversation, and I’m very happy to have had the chance to spend the time tog...

In this episode, I talk with Oren Hetzroni (@hetzronio), a product designer and Spoon carver from Israel.
After studying design, Oren initially started woodturning before he discovered the work of Robinwood (@robinwoodcraft). This led him into the world of Greenwood, where he continues to this day. Oren carves amazing spoons and also teaches the craft to others. He hosts weekly carving gatherings at his homestead and also organizes a yearly event called Festikaf (http://festikaf.co.il/)

Oren is also active on the virtual spoon carving site Rise Up and Carve (riseupandcarve.com), a platform where...

In this episode, I talked to Tamsin Quin (@quinwoodcraft)  a talented musician and self taught spoon carver from the UK. Tamsin spoke of instantly being hooked and resonating deeply with carving and working with wood. Tamsin spent many years carving instinctually as a hobby, after eventually attending a Spoonsfest where she connected with other passionate crafters and carvers where she continued to deepen her knowledge and skills working with Greenwood. She is very passionate about her work, and makes a living touring with her music and selling spoons online and in person. It was lovely to learn a little b...

In this episode I talk with Nick Murphy ( @murphys_spoon ) an educator, musician and spoon carver from the UK.

We spoke about how Nick discovered spoon carving,  why he continues it to this day and is happy to pass on his passion and knowledge through this work teaching children with @theoutdoorsgroup .

If you enjoy the podcast and want to support it, you can do so by leaving a writing or review wherever you listen or you can buy an endless possibilities spoon carving t-shirt from the link in my bio. Thanks and happy carving:)
Duration: 01:04:32

In this episode, I talked to Lee John Phillips (@leejohnhillips), an award-winning illustrator and talented spoon carver. We talk about how Lee started, why he decided not to sell his spoons, AI, spoon and chip carving design and more.

I have always admired his unique work and amazing chip carving. It was a pleasure to get to talk to him today and I hope you enjoy listening!

If you enjoy the podcast and want to support it, you can do so, by giving it a review, telling a friend about it, or by buying an „En...

In this episode, I talk to @tad_william_kepley, a passionate spoon carver from Lexington, North Carolina.
Ted started carving spoons after his retirement from law-enforcement in 2015 and was hooked from the start. It has since then become a prominent and enjoyable part of his life.
Early on he discovered the joy of attending markets where he sells his work, is around people and spends time carving and sharing his passion.
We talked about Tad’s start into spoon carving, his carving process and why he sought out Mentors such as  Dan Lawrence and Derek Sanderson. Duration: 01:26:38

In this episode I talk to Rebecca Luerssen (@rebecca_luerssen). Rebecca lives in Hixson , Tennessee and started carving spoons in 2017.
From the start Rebecca felt like carving and creating was something she was meant to do, it was always there, just waiting to be discovered.
After deciding she wanted to create income from her passion she got busy making and creating connections and avenues to sell her work, such as Etsy, Instagram and local markets.
Rebecca found examples and guidance from other successful entrepreneurs such as Emmet Van Driesche (@emmet_van_driesch) and Pat from @klipnockywoods...

In this episode I talk to John Wager (@johnswoodenware), an Anishinaabe craftsman from Buckhorn Ontario, Canada.
We talked about how John got started with carving and how to it has connected him to his ancestral lineage.
Through the craft he has meet friends and mentors such as Caleb @Canadian.bushcraft that are also involved in Bushcraft and traditional indigenous lifeways.
Early on John saw the possibility of making a living while doing what he enjoyed and is doing just that. I really enjoyed the chat with John and it was very cool to hear how something...

This episode is with Georg Schulte (@schorsch555), a goldsmith, jeweler and spoon carver from Münster, Germany.

We spoke about Georg’s work as a Jeweler and teaching the unique method of Mokume Gane, an old Japanese method for binding precious metals, which literally translates to wood grain metal.
We also talk about how he fell into the rabbit hole of wood work. Why he enjoys it so much and plans to stay there for the foreseeable future.
Georg has collected many more tools then most hobbyist carvers and explains why this is the case. Duration: 01:10:14

On episode 17 my guests are Raleigh (@morganraleigh.c) and Oliver Klotzek (@oliverklotzek), two full-time makers that have a wide variety of experience working with Greenwood and other natural materials. They have spent the last years traveling, teaching and sharing their passion for the craft (@wildcraftedworkshop &  @wildcraftedhome). 

We talk about how they got started and met through a mutual passion for the craft. Also how it is to teach in different countries, living in a van, being self employed and the „Von Hand“ festival for green wood culture and traditional handcraft they organize (https://vonhandfestival.com). I hope you en...

On episode 16 my guest is Liesl Chatman (@rivichicawarroir). Liesl lives in Minneapolis and teaches spoon carving and kolrossing at North House Folk School.

It I was really fun to get to know Liesl and find out why she is so enthusiastic about this craft and sharing it with others. With 10 years of experience and learning from talented craftspeople such as  Fred Livesay,  Jarrod Dahl, Adam Hawker, Jane Mickelborough among others Liesl is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to spoons and kolrossing specifically. I learned a lot and really enjoyed th...

On episode 15 my guest is John Beya @johns_slojd. John was born and grew up in Sweden where Sloyd was part of life. He lives there today with his family. John carves beautiful spoons and kuksa among other things and he often decorates them with amazing kolorossing and chip carving.

We talk about his carving process, why he likes to keep things simple in regards tot tools and wood and how it is to carve and live in nature.

Hosted by Simon Pouly @rootsspoons
(info.rootsspoons@gmail.com)

Editing and...

On episode 14 my guest is Jan Leuschner (@Jan_Leuschner). We talked about his experience working with various materials at school and his time learning and working as a stone mason.

Jan now carves beautiful spoons, bowls and kuksas in his free time. We talk about the technical details of spoon carving as well as what draws him to the craft and working with his hands.

An influence he mentions during our conversation is David Fisher (https://davidffisher.com) who has a lot of great information on his DFbowlcarfer YouTube channel (https://www.youtube...

On episode 13 I talk to Aaron Garrett (@aaron.garrett.uk).

Aaron grew up in Uk with an interest in bush craft and when he saw a Spoon Carving demonstration on YouTube he knew it was something he wanted to try. Since carving his first spoon at the end of 2018 he has taught himself how to carve beautiful scoops and spoons which he sometimes sells through his Instagram.

He makes really cool and unique scoops that are a recognizable shape of his as well as many other Spoons shapes and styles.

Aaron...

On episode 12 my guest is Ricky Dey @t_u_t_t_o___ . Ricky is a fellow kiwi and lives in the Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand. Ricky started caving as a way to cope with the grief after losing loved ones. It seems that for many of us it is not just about the spoons but the process of carving and creating. It can offer us comfort, meaning and community. 

We talk about his life growing up in NewZealand, discovering spoon carving and why it is something he can imagine growing and e...

On episode 11 my guest is Andreea Grad (@andreeagrad). She is living in Oregon, USA and only started carving spoons in January of 2021. Since then it has become a big part of her life. 

We talk doubt how and why she got started, how it has affected her day to day life and why she enjoys the craft so much. 

Hosted by Simon Pouly @rootsspoons

(info.rootsspoons@gmail.com)

Editing and Producing: Julia Pouly 

Music: Pixabay

Support the...

On episode 10 my guest is Lynge Randen Børding @lynge_carvings.
Lynge is from Denmark and started carving spoons after getting a hook knife for Christmas when he was 16. A couple of years later, he is still carving beautiful spoons and sharing some of his work on instagram.

During our conversations I could relate a lot to Lynge talking about experimenting with shapes and decoration, continuously learning and improving. Also, we are both influenced and inspired by other spoon carvers such as Dan Lawrence (@dan.lawrence.uk) and Grant Withington (@twisted_acorn_woodcarver).

On h...

On episode 9 my guest is Chuck Trella @chuck.trella_woodsmyths  

Chuck is the founder of the online carving meet up, Rise up and carve. This is a daily virtual Spoon carving  gathering that started in February 2019.

In our conversation Chuck talks about how and why he initially got started carving Spoons and how taking part in @emmet_van_driesche’s  Virtual apprenticeship challenge a few years ago with the call to give back, helped him come up with the idea to start RUAC. 

Since then it has become a fantastic platform for an...

On episode 8 my guest is Daniel Berhe (@gortba.slojd). He is from Sweden and recently moved to Portugal with his family, where he is working and living closely with the land.

Daniel carved his first spoon a few years ago and after a real aha moment he knew this was something he wanted to continue. Since then he has made many beautiful bowls and spoons. He even developed the slojd pung, a pouch system to solve the problem of wood chips flying everywhere while carving.

Find him on instagram or  his website: en.gortbaslojd.se Duration: 01:13:08

On episode 7 my guest is Rabea Gebler (@rabea.gebler) originally from Germany where she studied product design, she recently moved to Japan.

After carving her first spoon she felt the strong pull to not only design things, but to actually make them with her own hands. She has since worked with different materials and makes beautiful bowls, vases and spoons from wood. We talked about this and much more.

Find some of her work on her website sentomono.squarespace.com.

Hosted by Simon Pouly @rootsspoons 
(info.rootsspoons@gmail.c...

On episode 6 my guest is Marlon C. Marchado (@marlon_c_marchado) from Brazil. 

He started carving spoons in 2019 and has been making them ever since. Among other things we talk about his carving process, his great chip carving decorations and the use of local wood varieties such as guava, mango and tamarind. 

He mentions being influenced by the work of @spoon_carving_with_tom and his preference for using his sharpening system. 

Hosted by Simon Pouly @rootsspoons
(info.rootsspoons@gmail.com)

Behind the scenes work: Julia Pouly 

Mu...

On episode 5 my guest is Julian Jones (@littlebear_sloyd). He recently located to Perth, Australia, where he offers spoon carving workshops, tool sharpening services and where he sells his work at local markets. 

In this podcast we talk about how he discovered spoon carving, what he enjoys about it so much, how it is to teach and green wood work as a profession.

He is creating great content on his YouTube channel littlebear slöjd (https://tinyurl.com/46ur4rhy) and on his website www.littlebearsloyd.com.

Hosted by Simon Pouly @ro...

On episode 4 my guest is Greg Nelson (@chasing_the_grain73). Greg lives in Antioch, Illinois in the USA.

Greg was one of the first people I followed when I startet carving and his work has influenced and inspired me.

Our conversation covers collecting wood, how we got introduced to spoon carving, the carving process, current routines, spoon design, introducing others to spoon carving, teaching, selling spoons and much more.

Hosted by Simon Pouly @rootsspoons 
(info.rootsspoons@gmail.com)

Behind t...

In episode 3 my guest is Jaz Auden (@jazhandcrafts). Originally from England, he recently located to the South West of France.

His work caught my eye with his varied and creative style. Using colour and texture Jaz creates beautiful, one of a kind spoons and wood wear.

We start our conversation talking about his endeavor to build a lathe. He mentions Owen Thomas (@owenthomaswoodcraft) and his tutorial on building one on https://www.owenthomaswoodcraft.com/pole-lathe-plans.

We also cover the sourcing of wood, his spoon carving process, painting and dyeing spoons among...

In episode 2 my guest is Susanne, known on instagram as @loeffel.suse. She is located in Zurich, Switzerland.

We talk about how she found spoon carving and how it helped her feel joy again after dealing with depression. Our conversation covers sharing one's work and connecting with other carvers online, what inspires her creative style and what she does with her finished spoons.

Susanne mentions the Rise Up & Carve initiative, a daily Virtual Spoon Carving Gathering using the Zoom video conferencing app initiated by US spoon carver Chuck Trella on Feb 27, 2019 (http://www.riseupandcarve.com).<...

Episode 1 of the Spoon Carving conversations, where I talk to spoon carvers around the world. 

Today's guest is Julian Heins (@feral.spoons). He lives near Hamburg in Germany where I am also currently living. We have carved together once before and will hopefully do so again as we go into spring. He only started out about 9 months ago, but become instantly passionate about creating wooden spoons.

We talk about our favorite spots to carve, how we started out and how spoon carving impacts our view of the world, where we get our wood and much m...